The rape and murder of two Dalit sisters in Katra village in Uttar Pradesh’s Badaun district sparked anger among people demanding action against culprits, some of them allegedly policemen, after which a constable was arrested and three others were suspended.
The incident triggered protests in the area with villagers alleging police apathy following which a First Information Report was registered against seven persons.
Two persons, including a policeman, have been arrested and three constables suspended in connection with the rape of two teenage Dalit sisters, whose bodies were found hanging from a tree.
The postmortem report of the two girls has confirmed that they were raped before murder, Superintendent of Police Atul Kumar Saxena said on Thursday.
“The postmortem report has confirmed rape of the two girls. The cause of death is hanging,” he said.
Katra outpost incharge Ram Vilas Yadav, constables Sarvesh Yadav and Chhatrapal Yadav were suspended following the incident.
Other accused, including three brothers Pappu Yadav, Awadhesh Yadav and Urvesh Yadav, and two unidentified persons are still at large, police said.
Of the seven accused, Sarvesh and Chhatrpal have been booked under Section 120B (criminal conspiracy) of the Indian Penal Code, while the three brothers and two others have been booked under sections 302 (murder) and 376 (rape) of the IPC.
The SP said that constable Sarvesh and Pappu have been arrested, while the hunt is on to nab the others absconding.
The two girls, who were cousins and aged 14 and 15 years, went missing from their house on Tuesday night and their bodies were found hanging from a mango tree in the village in Ushait area on Wednesday morning.
Image: Girls participate in an anti-rape demonstration in New Delhi
Photograph: Reuters